Raytheon

Raytheon is the fifth largest defence manufacturer in the world. The company has four business areas: Missile Defense; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; Precision Engagement; and Homeland Security. It is most famous for missiles - as Raytheon says, its "range of weapon systems needs little introduction. The company is a global leader in the development and deployment of advanced technology missile systems and air combat and strike systems". Products include the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-air missile, the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-air missile and the Tomahawk Block IIIC Cruise Missile.

According to its website, the company aspires to be "the most admired defense and aerospace systems supplier through world-class people and technology. Raytheon today is focused on defense, government and commercial electronics and business aviation and special mission aircraft". Raytheon is headquartered in Lexington, MA, and employs 77,500 people worldwide.

The company's seven businesses include:
 * Integrated Defense Systems
 * Intelligence & Information Systems
 * Missile Systems
 * Network Centric Systems
 * Space & Airborne Systems
 * Raytheon Technical Services Company
 * Homeland Security

Effective June 20, 2003, Raytheon Aerospace LLC changed names to Vertex Aerospace LLC. This completes a two-year separation agreement with Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) of Lexington, Mass., which divested the majority of its equity position in Raytheon Aerospace in June, 2001, to Veritas Capital.

Raytheon is famous for it's missile systems including the Patriot missile, and 'bunker busters' missiles which contain depleted uranium. It was a Raytheon missile that struck a Baghdad market in 2003, killing at least 62 civilians, during the second Gulf War. Consumer watchdog Raytheon Watch say "Raytheon Company's positive public image stands in stunning contrast to its criminal record, mistreatment of workers, sale of weapons to dictators, and abuse of corporate power."

Some of the allegations against Raytheon include:
 * close involvement with the CIA and National Security Agency to the extent that, according to a secret informant to the Washington Post, they are "virtually indistinguishable" entities.
 * close involvement with drug enforcement activities of the CIA in Taiwan and Mexico (Corpwatch)

In the early 90s Raytheon was found liable for inflating the cost of missile test equipment, Patriot missiles, and a US$72m radar contract, to the US government. They were ordered by court to pay US$2.5, US$3.7m and US$4m respectively.

Raytheon, along with other military contractors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Ericsson, are now being employed by the US government for border control enforcement. They are building a 'virtual fence' of technology to accompany the real fence now being constructed on the Mexico border to keep out illegal immigrants.

"Raytheon has a package of sensor and video equipment used to protect troops in Iraq that monitors an area and uses software to identify suspicious objects automatically, analyzing and highlighting them even before anyone is sent to respond." Lipton, New York Times, 2006

Political contributions
Raytheon gave $970,918 to federal candidates in the 05/06 election period through its political action committee - 42% to Democrats, 58% to Republicans.

Lobbying
The company spent $5,978,157 for lobbying in 2006. $2,428,000 went to 18 outside lobbying firms with the remainder being spent using in-house lobbyists. Some of the firms were DLA Piper, Arent Fox PLLC, and Barbour, Griffith and Rogers.

Spin on Wikipedia
On October 25, 2005, Someone with an IP at Raytheon deleted 6 embarrassing paragraphs about the company, including spying on a rival bidder for a contract to service military aircraft (the other company sued them, and Raytheon admitted guilt and agreed to pay damages), illegally obtaining classified Air Force budget and planning documents, and the poor performance of the Patriot missile in the 1991 Gulf War. The edit was made anonymously but was picked up by the WikiScanner tool. 

Personnel
Board of Directors:
 * Barbara M. Barrett, International Business and Aviation Attorney
 * Vernon E. Clark, Retired Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy
 * John Mark Deutch (since 1998), Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
 * Frederic M. Poses, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, American Standard Companies,Inc.
 * Michael C. Ruettgers, Special Advisor and Retired Chairman, EMC Corporation
 * Ronald L. Skates, Retired President and Chief Executive Officer, Data General Corporation
 * William R. Spivey, Retired President and Chief Executive Officer, Luminent, Inc.
 * Linda G. Stuntz, Partner, Stuntz, Davis & Staffier, P.C.

Former board members:
 * Daniel P. Burnham, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Raytheon Company
 * Thomas E. Everhart, President Emeritus, California Institute of Technology
 * Warren Bruce Rudman (since 1993), Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Contact
870 Winter Street Waltham, MA 02451 USA Phone: 781-522-3000 Fax: 781-522-3001 Web: http://www.raytheon.com

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Defense contractors
 * Locations of Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and TRW
 * Military-industrial complex